Eating rocks

[Brigget]

Why is my lilly trying to eat rocks? This morning when we were outside she kept trying to eat small rocks, is she missing something in her diet or just chewing on stuff?

[fbimostwanted101]

maybe she thought they were snails? Has this happened everytime you've taken her outside?

[Piggy]

Bluey tend to try to eat whatever seems appealing to them, so maybe she does mistake them for snails if she likes them. I'm not sure they can distinguish nutrients in rocks, but if I'm wrong, perhaps you aren't feeding her enough calcium or whatever rocks have these days.

[AneesasMuse]

My tortie munches the occasional rock too.. so I provide her with a cuttlefish bone thingy... like for birds.

Just a thought!

[aggiegirl]

Be very careful with the small pebbles. I watched two blueys ingest these in a pet store one day. One died and the other was definitely impacted. (Needless to say, I spoke with every employee/manager in the place.) My Pele' won't leave alone a temp probe without trying to eat it. Haven't a clue why he thinks that might be edible. There is a link about one bluey ingesting a camera wrist band.

[Lura]

Whenever I take Scout outside he always tries to eat rocks. The few that he has actually swallowed have passed right through. Is there anything about blueys eating small rocks in the wild, maybe to help aid in digestion?

[rothexl]

Yes, I can only agree, be VERY careful with small, pebble-sized rocks. I tried to put some into lavvi's home once and he must have thought they are optimum prey-size....-that was that, no more pebbles ever, I could only just prevent him from eating one (and they were rather big!!).

[Zach]

Be very careful with the small pebbles. I watched two blueys ingest these in a pet store one day. One died and the other was definitely impacted. (Needless to say, I spoke with every employee/manager in the place.) My Pele' won't leave alone a temp probe without trying to eat it. Haven't a clue why he thinks that might be edible. There is a link about one bluey ingesting a camera wrist band.

How big were the pebbles? I doubt that's what killed them.

Blueys eating small pebbles is totally normal, and most will eat a few here and there when outside; it's harmless unless it's some giant rock and they start choking....many believe they eat it to assist in digestion.

Yeah, Marie's camera cord incident was crazy -- never heard or seen anything like it.

[Usersafe]

Jerri likes to eat small rocks and the occasional dirt clod. Have to keep a close eye on her. Think its because she's related to Zach.

Belle on the other hand, has never tried to eat stuff outside.

Bandit just tries to eat me.

Steve

[aggiegirl]

Those were the baby blueys in that pet store. They were blue colored accent stones (almost 3/4 inch) that were larger than any prey they should have been given. I watched one ingest one and begin agonal breathing (as I screamed for help.) The employee said it was lodged in there and he died almost immediately. (Then, I watched one more get distended and glossy eyed before they followed through with their decision to remove the stones! ) I have heard that blueys do swallow small pebbles in the wild to aid digestion as well (but my Exotic Pets book is far from reputable.) We have various sized rocks/river stones on our path and I don't let Pele' venture there. Better safe than sorry---and Pele's judgement about what belongs in his mouth is quite scary.

[Arkangel]

Bandit just tries to eat me.

I'm no bluey expert but ingesting rocks, pebbles or sand is definitely an impaction risk for any animal in captivity. I wouldn't doubt that the pet store animals died from it. Some animals are just prone to eating them. That does not mean it is natural or desired.

Some animals may pass small stones, while others won't. It's a serious danger.

My bluey tried to eat river rocks. Big honkin' 3-4" rocks I put in the cage for decoration. I don't know if he thought they were eggs or what. But it made me nervous to see him walking around with a huge rock in his mouth.

I also have an axolotl that will Hoover up any object he can fit into his mouth. He swallowed large gravel that I swore would never fit in there and several weeks later gave new meaning to "rip a new one". He walked around looking like a swollen hose ready to burst for weeks.
I thought he was a goner.

Even bird owners no longer offer birds gravel as a digestive aid unless it is for gallinaceous or ground dwelling types.

[AneesasMuse]

All of this has me curious...

If birds and herps are closely related, supposedly... and birds have a gizzard for grinding their ingested food... and said gizzard has "grit" in it to aid the digestion process...

...wouldn't this explain the herps being inclined to munch the occasional rock or pebble?

And not knowing that much about the internal anatomy of various herps... do any of them have the same gizzard type apparatus that breaks down their food? (I need a good herp vet book.. heh! )

Thanks!
~Aminah

[KyleWeiss]

Besides Kristine's proper and amusing usage of the word "Honkin'," which I haven't heard in a while...

...I think a few small pebbles should be okay. While there is a risk of impaction, good diet and common sense with watching what your bluey is picking about, perhaps regulating locations the bluey is allowed to go should prove harmless.

Rollie has always eaten a few pebbles here and there, and I've always heard of them doing this. I doubt it's a meaningless reaction if so many animals are prone to doing it. Plus, I think it may happen more in captive animals because they smell different than the vivariums they're kept in most of the time, so they might covet or desire them more.

I've kept birds for years, had them throughout my family, and we've never fed grit or stones. Not because of fear, but the times we had, they were ignored by the birds.

I'd like to know what the Aussie keepers think of this, because they're the only ones that observe the animals in the wild, they may have a different take.

KW

[Arkangel]

All of this has me curious...

If birds and herps are closely related, supposedly... and birds have a gizzard for grinding their ingested food... and said gizzard has "grit" in it to aid the digestion process.....wouldn't this explain the herps being inclined to munch the occasional rock or pebble?

And not knowing that much about the internal anatomy of various herps... do any of them have the same gizzard type apparatus that breaks down their food? (I need a good herp vet book.. heh! )

Thanks!
~Aminah

Many people think that all birds have a muscular gizzard that "grinds" food with the aid of grit.

It is now known that many birds have a crop that is used as a storage type "doggie bag" as opposed to a grinding stomach. It really depends on the diet of the bird. Most passerines (songbirds) and parrots shell seeds or nuts before eating, and those that eat soft foods or insects have no need of a strong gizzard.

Then there are the bolters. Those who snarf up anything and swallow things whole. They seem to have a more useful grinding gizzard.

Herpitologists and vets have varied opinions on ingested rocks. My own reptile vet believes that rocks are swallowed as potential prey/food (mistaken snails, eggs, etc.) and or in the process of catching prey and that stones cause more harm than good. Impactions are a big part of her business. She's done surgery on reptiles who've swallowed everything from coins to condoms.
Gives new meaning to the saying, "He's dumber than a bag of rocks."

I think I've read that the only reptile that has a gizzard style pre-stomach is a crocodile, and they may also use rocks as ballast.

[Bird_Brain]

I personally think that it is a serious risk. When you guys are saying that you have heard of them doing this, doesnt give a reason to just blow it off as if eating rocks is ok.

I always hear about dogs eating random things, such as rocks, corn husks, carpet, towels, socks, etc. And a the majority of these end up at the vets office for an emergency surgery. Just because they do it, doesnt necessarily mean that its a normal/safe behavior.

[Lisa]

Mine always used to have a go at rocks when they were young but they grew out of it. Santos wasn't content with just rocks and pebbles but, he regularly used to attempt to digesting the whole driveway. He is also into all things metal like zippers, belt buckles, screws, nails and foil.




The rock was taken away after the pic. I always pull them away from rocks, I don't think it's a good thing that they eat them in case they do get stuck. I used to think it was a mineral deficiency thing, but now I think that it is just a kid thing. Like people kids, they stick anything in their mouths, too. I once ate a redback spider apparently but I don't remember it.

Brad, my dog once nicked a corncob out of the rubbish bin and ate it. We only found out months later when he passed it. It took us ages to figure out what it was.

My other dog once ate a thong (flip-flop) and all that came out in his poo was the strap that said 'Hang Ten' on it. That was so funny I took a picture of it!

[Bird_Brain]

HAHA, I dont think i have heard anyone else take a pic of their dogs poop!

It is amazing some of the stuff that dogs are known to eat. I cant think of it right now (Kristin some help please!) but their is a name for an eating disorder if you will in dogs. Its where they are known to eat anything and everything in sight.

We had one dog that ate a BUNCH of corn husks and rocks and he finally got it out with out surgery (the owners "didnt want to put that much money in the dog"). So about the only thing we could do were enemas, which can really harm a dog if it is truly has something stuck in the digestion tract. We thought he wasnt going to make it, but he finally started to poop everything out. He was a real trooper! (even after the 10+ enemas!).

[Lisa]

I cant think of it right now (Kristin some help please!) but their is a name for an eating disorder if you will in dogs. Its where they are known to eat anything and everything in sight.

Yes. The name of the disorder is Labrador

[Blotch]

HAHA, I dont think i have heard anyone else take a pic of their dogs poop!

Ok this is where i look strange in all your eyes - there's actually a website called dogpoop.com - or something simmilar - I was bored one day and started typing all different things in the addy bar to see what came up.

Basically it's people taking pictures of dog crap and displaying them online. nice huh?

[Arkangel]

I personally think that it is a serious risk. When you guys are saying that you have heard of them doing this, doesnt give a reason to just blow it off as if eating rocks is ok.

I always hear about dogs eating random things, such as rocks, corn husks, carpet, towels, socks, etc. And a the majority of these end up at the vets office for an emergency surgery. Just because they do it, doesnt necessarily mean that its a normal/safe behavior.

I couldn't agree more. I got sweaty just looking at Lisa's picture! Animals swallow things faster than you can blink an eye.

Yes. The name of the disorder is Labrador

:lol:

Coprophagy or pica might be the words you are looking for.

Many times animals craving or eating bizarre things can indicate an illness or nutritional deficiency. Anemic animals will seek out clay, cat litter, and dirt.